DC Transportation Logistics Help Needed
 

We were able to get tickets (through our congressman) to tour the Capitol and the White House all on the same day. We have to be online at the Capitol at 10:50 am and be at the White House for a 2:00 pm tour. Our hotel is located in the Dupont Circle area. What time should we leave the hotel to get to the Capitol? What's the best and fastest way to get to the Capitol, then from the Capitol to the White House? Any suggestions are very much appreciated.
Thank you!

www.wmata.com and www.hopstop.com will be helpful to you I think.

I take Metro from the Dupont Circle station to Eastern Market (which is one past Capitol South) and it takes about 30 minutes, including walking (about 2 blocks) and waiting. That is at rush hour on Fridays. Depending on where in the Dupont Circle area your hotel is (if it is south of the circle anyway), you might want to walk to Farrugut West station so you don't have to transfer from the Red Line.

I agree with vjp, but remember that personnel at your hotel are asked this question every day so they will probably pull out a map and mark your route for you.
For getting from the Capitol to White House, I'd hail a cab. You know about the restriction on carrying things into the White House? Will you need to return to your hotel to drop off stuff?

Thank you for your suggestions. Also, for kayd, I do know about the restrictions about carrying things into the White House. You basically can't bring anything, not even my purse! Cameras our allowed at the Capitol but not at the White House. The thing is we're going from the Capitol directly to the White House so that means we can't bring our camera to the Capitol either. That drives me crazy! We're big picture takers! I wish there was a way to just drive and park somewhere and leave our stuff in the car so we could go empty handed to the White House. But I have no idea about parking by the Capitol or the White House. Does anyone else know?

We left coats and things at our Representative's office while we toured the Capitol. You could ask to leave your camera if you trust them!

Don't attempt to park around the Capitol or White House. Taking taxis will be much easier, faster, comparable in cost to fuel burned in trafic congestion plus garage parking in two locations, and will get you to your destination excatly, not several blocks away.

I offer the following itinerary as a possibility:

Take the Metro from Dupont Circle to Union Station. Walk or take a taxi to the Capitol (approximately 1 mile). Return to Union Station, put all your stuff into a locker, take a taxi to the White House. Then take a taxi back to Union Station, pick up your stuff from the locker, return to Dupont Circle.

BTW, the Dupont Circle area is, for several reasons, the best area to stay in DC. Dozens of restaurants in the area.

Arguably, you could do the Capitol tour with your photography stuff, then go back to your hotel before the White House tour. You'll be done at the Capitol by 12:30. Get a can back to your hotel, drop off the cameras, and back in the cab to the White House.

A cab from DuPont Circle to the White House is going to be easy, while I'd give yourself at least 1/2 hour for a cab to the Capitol just to be safe.

Thank you all! You guys are great! Appreciate it!

I don't know why one would go to Eastern Market metro station rather than Capitol SOuth, since it is past it, but I wouldn't go to either. I suppose it might be about the same distance from Eastern Market as Capitol S (although I think it is farther), but you'd spend more time on the train. I'd go to Union Station and walk from there, as you wouldn't have to change lines that way, and that would save time. The Capitol building isn't a mile from Union Station, it's only about a half mile. I used to live right behind the Supreme Court building and never went to Eastern Market to go home, rather than Capitol South.

Union Station is further from the Visitor's Center or the House Office Buildings than Capitol South (I wouldn't go to Eastern Market), but it may be a wash when you consider the transfer. A taxi would be easiest of all.

Also be aware that the metro's Red Line has often been slower and more crowded since the metro accident last month.